Steve Watson has resigned as Gateshead manager, with the former Newcastle United star leaving to joining National League North side York City.

Assistant manager Micky Cummins is also departing the International Stadium to follow Watson to York.

Former Gateshead captain Ben Clark, currently the club's Reserves' coach, will take charge of the first team ahead of next weekend's National League match at Salford City.

Gateshead today released the following statement following Watson's departure.

Steve Watson has resigned from his managerial role at Gateshead Football Club with immediate effect along with assistant manager Micky Cummins.

The resignation comes after the management pair accepted an offer from National League North side York City.

The Minstermen signed several players from the Heed last summer and currently sit 16th in the sixth tier. The Yorkshire outfit will be moving into a new stadium at the end of the season as they look to earn promotion back to the top-tier of non-league football.

Former Gateshead manager Steve Watson (Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

Watson was appointed Gateshead manager in October 2017 as his first senior management role in football with former Gateshead midfielder and under-19s coach Cummins being named as his assistant a month later.

The former Newcastle United player helped the Tynesiders reach an equal club best semi-final finish in the FA Trophy in his first season in charge.

And despite a turbulent summer at the International Stadium, the pair stood by the club and built a new squad from scratch under a limited budget in a short period of time.

The uncertainty during the off-season saw Gateshead tipped for relegation from the National League before the 2018/19 campaign got under way.

But under Watson and Cummins, the Heed defied the pre-season odds with an impressive opening half to the season which saw the side in and around the play-off places from the very start.

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After three straight defeats, the Tynesiders currently sit just one point outside the top seven on 46 points with 17 games remaining. Gateshead Football Club would like to sincerely thank Watson and Cummins for their fantastic work over their 15-month tenure in charge at the International Stadium.

The move to York also ends Cummins' eight-year spell at Gateshead, the longest single spell at any club in his career.

Gateshead Reserves' coach and former captain Ben Clark will be taking charge of first-team training in preparation for next Saturday's National League match at Salford City.